Inklingo

How to Say "buffer" in Spanish

English → Spanish

colchón

nounB2general
Use 'colchón' when referring to a reserve of money or resources that provides a safety net or prevents problems.

Examples

Es bueno tener un colchón de ahorros para las emergencias.

It's good to have a cushion of savings for emergencies.

tope

/toh-peh//ˈto.pe/

nounA2technical
Use 'tope' for a physical object that acts as a stop or bumper to absorb impact or prevent something from moving too far.
A colorful storybook illustration of a heavy wooden block placed at the end of a train track to stop a small train.

Examples

El cajón tiene un tope para que no se caiga.

The drawer has a stop so it doesn't fall out.

Gira el volante hasta el tope.

Turn the steering wheel as far as it will go.

Necesitas poner un tope en la puerta.

You need to put a doorstop on the door.

Masculine Gender

Even though it ends in 'e', this word is always masculine: 'el tope'.

Gender confusion

Mistake: “la tope”

Correction: el tope (Nouns ending in 'e' can be tricky, but this one is always masculine).

Colchón vs. Tope

Learners often confuse 'colchón' and 'tope' because both can imply a protective function. Remember that 'colchón' is for abstract reserves (like money), while 'tope' is for physical objects that stop movement or impact.

Related Translations

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